Roasted Eggplant and Lamb Recipe

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Whether you're entertaining your guests on Easter, Ramadan, or any other day, this Jordanian roasted eggplant stuffed with lamb recipe is what you need to blow them away.

Flavored with warm and fragrant spices of the Mediterranean, this dish is a new favorite for any occasion.

I feel like a broken record because I often start my sentence with "when I was growing up, we didn't / there wasn't /etc." but the truth is, every generation is familiar with that phrase when they get old[er].

I wonder what millennials will use instead of "broken record" though, ha! Clearly, they can't relate.

When I was growing up and the world was much smaller, we didn't mix sweet and savory. Spices like cinnamon were intended for desserts, not meats.

I remember my astonishment when my father talked about bazaars in Egypt and Sudan, where the strong presence of cinnamon and clove scent in the air fill your nostrils for days and your taste buds distinctly recognize it in lamb or beef dishes, just as they do in baklava.

Maybe these stories from dad's time in the Middle East as a UN soldier inspired mom to once put raisins in rice and impress the guests, but I picked them out of my plate as quickly as I could.

But then again, there weren't many dishes I liked back then. Eggplant, roasted or cooked was yuck. I didn't think I would ever enjoy raisins in my rice or cinnamon in my savory dishes but here I am. I actually love it, as I love eggplant.

My unexpected guests equally loved Mediterranean warm spices mixed with lamb and piled on eggplant halves. How lucky was I to have them stop by and be my taste testers?

This recipe, which I've adapted from The New Mediterranean Table cookbook was also simple to make and will definitely be added to our dinner rotation.

I didn't add raisins in the rice I served to my guests as I made this Kurdish rice pilaf, but will certainly add sultana yellow rice next time.

Dad approved of this delicious dish and said it brought back some long-forgotten memories. That's a good enough testimony if you ask me. 🙂

How to Make Roasted Eggplant and Lamb Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Arrange the eggplant halves cut side up in a large baking dish. Brush with two tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with some of salt. Bake until the skin is browned and the flesh is soft, for about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet, heat the remaining one tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt, and saute over medium heat, stirring often, until softened.
4. Add the ground lamb and the spices. Brown, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until the meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and pine nuts if using, reserving a tablespoon.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Cut the eggplant down the middle, making sure not to tear the skin on the bottom. Spoon the lamb mixture onto the eggplants in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes.
7. Garnish the eggplants with parsley and reserved pine nuts. Serve with a side of rice, like this Kurdish rice pilaf, and top with sour cream if so desired.

Roasted Eggplant and Lamb Recipe

Warm and fragrant Mediterranean spices in this Jordanian roasted eggplant & lamb dish make it a perfect meal for any occasion.

5 from 3 votes

Print Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Jordanian

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 567kcal

Author: Jas

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 large eggplants halved
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 1 onion chopped
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 pound ground lamb
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 cups diced tomatoes
• ▢ ¼ cup pine nuts toasted (omit if following keto diet)
• ▢ Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Arrange the eggplant halves cut side up in a large baking dish. Brush with two tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with some of the salt. Bake until the skin is browned and the flesh is soft, for about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet, heat the remaining one tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt and saute over medium heat, stirring often, until softened.
• Add the ground lamb and the spices. Brown, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until the meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and pine nuts, if using, reserving a tablespoon.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut the eggplant down the middle, making sure not to tear the skin on the bottom. Spoon the lamb mixture onto the eggplants in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes.
• Garnish the eggplants with parsley and reserved pine nuts. Serve with a side of rice, like this Kurdish rice pilaf, and top with sour cream if so desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 672mg | Potassium: 1101mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 267IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4mg

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